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free of Edward's and dropped to my stomach。
Flat。 Empty。 I clutched at the pale silk that covered my skin； panicking again； while an insignificant part
of my mind noted that Alice must have dressed me。
I knew there was nothing left inside me； and I faintly remembered the bloody removal scene； but the
physical proof was still hard to process。 All I knew was loving my little nudger inside of me。 Outside of
me； she seemed like something I must have imagined。 A fading dream—a dream that was half nightmare。
While I wrestled with my confusion； I saw Edward and Carlisle exchange a guarded glance。
〃What？〃 I demanded。
〃Bella；〃 Edward said soothingly。 〃That's not really a good idea。 She's half human； love。 Her heart beats；
and blood runs in her veins。 Until your thirst is positively under control。。。 You don't want to put her in
danger； do you？〃
I frowned。 Of course I must not want that。
Was I out of control？ Confused； yes。 Easily unfocused； yes。 But dangerous？ To her？ My daughter？
I couldn't be positive that the answer was no。 So I would have to be patient。 That sounded difficult。
Because until I saw her again； she wouldn't be real。 Just a fading dream。。。 of a stranger。。。
〃Where is she？〃 I listened hard； and then I could hear the beating heart on the floor below me。 I could
hear more than one person breathing—quietly； like they were listening； too。 There was also a fluttering
sound； a thrumming； that I couldn't place___
And the sound of the heartbeat was so moist and appealing； that my mouth started watering。
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So I would definitely have to learn how to hunt before I saw her。 My stranger baby。
〃Is Rosalie with her？〃
〃Yes；〃 Edward answered in a clipped tone； and I could see that something he'd thought of upset him。 I'd
thought
he and Rose were over their differences。 Had the animosity erupted again？ Before I could ask； he pulled
my hands away from my flat stomach； tugging gently again。
〃Wait；〃 I protested again； trying to focus。 〃What about Jacob？ And Charlie？ Tell me everything that I
missed。 How long was I。。。 unconscious？〃
Edward didn't seem to notice my hesitation over the last word。 Instead； he was exchanging another wary
glance with Carlisle。
〃What's wrong？〃 I whispered。
〃Nothing is wrong〃 Carlisle told me； emphasizing the last word in a strange way。 〃Nothing has changed
much； actually—you were only unaware for just over two days。 It was very fast； as these things go。
Edward did an excellent job。 Quite innovative—the venom injection straight to your heart was his idea。〃
He paused to smile proudly at his son and then sighed。 〃Jacob is still here； and Charlie still believes that
you are sick。 He thinks you're in Atlanta right now； undergoing tests at the CDC。 We gave him a bad
number； and he's frustrated。 He's been speaking to Esme。〃
〃I should call him。。。；〃 I murmured to myself； but； listening to my own voice； I understood the new
difficulties。 He wouldn't recognize this voice。 It wouldn't reassure him。 And then the earlier surprise
intruded。 〃Hold on—Jacob is still here？〃
Another glance between them。
〃Bella；〃 Edward said quickly。 〃There's much to discuss； but we should take care of you first。 You have
to be in pain___〃
When he pointed that out； I remembered the burn in my throat and swallowed convulsively。 〃But Jacob
—〃
〃We have all the time in the world for explanations； love；〃 he reminded me gently。
Of course。 I could wait a little longer for the answer； it would be easier to listen when the fierce pain of
the fiery thirst was no longer scattering my concentration。 〃Okay。〃
〃Wait； wait； wait；〃 Alice trilled from the doorway。 She danced across the room； dreamily graceful。 As
with Edward and Carlisle； I felt some shock as I really looked at her face for the first time。 So lovely。
〃You promised I could be there the first time！ What if you two run past something reflective？〃
〃Alice—；〃 Edward protested。
〃It will only take a second！〃 And with that； Alice darted from the room。
Edward sighed。
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〃What is she talking about？〃
But Alice was already back； carrying the huge； giltframed mirror from Rosalie's room； which was nearly
twice as tall as she was； and several times as wide。
Jasper had been so still and silent that I'd taken no notice of him since he'd followed behind Carlisle。
Now he moved again； to hover over Alice； his eyes locked on my expression。 Because I was the danger
here。
I knew he would be tasting the mood around me； too； and so he must have felt my jolt of shock as I
studied his face； looking at it closely for the first time。
Through my sightless human eyes； the scars left from his former life with the newborn armies in the South
had been mostly invisible。 Only with a bright light to throw their slightly raised shapes into definition could
I even make out their existence。
Now that I could see； the scars were Jasper's most dominant feature。 It was hard to take my eyes off his
ravaged neck and jaw—hard to believe that even a vampire could have survived so many sets of teeth
ripping into his throat。
Instinctively； I tensed to defend myself。 Any vampire who saw Jasper would have had the same reaction。
The scars were like a lighted billboard。 Dangerous； they screamed。 How many vampires had tried to
kill Jasper？ Hundreds？ Thousands？ The same number that had died in the attempt
Jasper both saw and felt my assessment； my caution； and he smiled wryly。
〃Edward gave me grief for not getting you to a mirror before the wedding；〃 Alice said； pulling my
attention away from her frightening lover。 Tm not going to be chewed out again。〃
〃Chewed out？〃 Edward asked skeptically； one eyebrow curving upward。
〃Maybe I'm overstating things；〃 she murmured absently as she turned the mirror to face me。
〃And maybe this has solely to do with your own voyeuristic gratification；〃 he countered。
Alice winked at him。
I was only aware of this exchange with the lesser part of my concentration。 The greater part was riveted
on the person in the mirror。
My first reaction was an unthinking pleasure。 The alien creature in the glass was indisputably beautiful；
every bit as beautiful as Alice or Esme。 She was fluid even in stillness； and her flawless face was pale as
the moon against the frame of her dark； heavy hair。 Her limbs were smooth and strong； skin glistening
subtly； luminous as a pearl。
My second reaction was horror。
Who was she？ At first glance； I couldn't find my face anywhere in the smooth； perfect planes of her
features。
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And her eyes！ Though I'd known to expect them； her eyes still sent a thrill of terror through me。
All the while I studied and reacted； her face was perfectly posed； a carving of a goddess； showing
nothing of the turmoil roiling inside me。 And then her full lips moved。
〃The eyes？〃 I whispered； unwilling to say my eyes。 〃How long？
〃They'll darken up in a few months；〃 Edward said in a soft； forting voice。 〃Animal blood dilutes the
color more quickly than a diet of human blood。 They'll turn amber first； then gold。〃
My eyes would blaze like vicious red flames for months？
〃Months？〃 My voice was higher now； stressed。 In the mirror； the perfect eyebrows lifted incredulously
above her glowing crimson eyes—brighter than any I'd ever seen before。
Jasper took a step forward； alarmed by the intensity of my sudden anxiety。 He knew young vampires
only too well； did this emotion presage some misstep on my part？
No one answered my question。 I looked away； to Edward and Alice。 Both their eyes were slightly
unfocused—reacting to Jasper's unease。 Listening to its cause； looking ahead to the immediate future。
I took another deep； unnecessary breath。
〃No； I'm fine；〃 I promised them。 My eyes flickered to the stranger in the mirror and back。 〃It's just。。。 a
lot to take in。〃
Jasper's brow furrowed； highlighting the two scars over his left eye。
〃I don't know；〃 Edward murmured。
The woman in the mirror frowned。 〃What question did I miss？〃
Edward grinned。 〃Jasper wonders how you're doing it。〃
〃Doing what？〃
〃Controlling your emotions； Bella；〃 Jasper answered。 〃I've never seen a newborn do that—stop an
emotion in its tracks that way。 You were upset； but when you saw our concern； you reined it in； regained
power over yourself。 I was prepared to help； but you didn't need it。〃
〃Is that wrong？〃 I asked。 My body automatically froze as I waited for his verdict。
〃No；〃 he said； but his voice was unsure。
Edward stroked his hand down my arm； as if encouraging me to thaw。 〃It's very impressive； Bella； but
we don't understand it。 We don't know how long it can hold。〃
I considered that for a portion of a second。 At any moment； would I snap？ Turn into a monster？
I couldn't feel it ing on。。。。 Maybe there was no way to anticipate such a thing。
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〃But what do you think？〃 Alice asked； a little impatient now； pointing to the mirror。
〃I'm not sure；〃 I hedged； not wanting to admit how frightened I really was。
I stared at the beautiful woman with the terrifying eyes； looking for pieces of me。 There was something
there in the shape of her lips—if you looked past the dizzying beauty； it was true that her upper lip was
slightly out of balance； a bit too full to match the lower。 Finding this familiar little flaw made me feel a tiny
bit better。 Maybe the rest of me was in there； too。
I raised my hand experimentally； and the woman in the mirror copied the movement； touching her face；
too。 Her crimson eyes watched me warily。
Edward sighed。
I turned away from her to look at him； raising one eyebrow。
〃Disappointed？〃 I asked； my ringing voice impassive。
He laughed。 〃Yes；〃 he admitted。
I felt the shock break through the posed mask o